Sources: Ramapo raid tied to financing of Boulders baseball stadium

Investigators involved in the probe that led to the raid of Ramapo Town Hall this week are reviewing documents to determine whether Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence overstated assets, such as incoming revenue, for the bonds and refinancing of a $25 million bond for the construction of the Rockland Boulders baseball stadium, a source familiar with the investigation said, The Journal News/lohud.com reports today.

They are also looking into the movement of money among accounts, possible commingling of funds and whether the local development corporation that oversaw the project generated money and repaid the town, the source said.

Boulders stadium opened its third season yesterday.

The records confiscated by the FBI and Rockland County District Attorney’s office during the raid include documents involving the financing and construction of Boulders stadium. Officials told The Journal News one element of the probe focuses on documents outlining the sale of bonds for the project.

Among the documents taken by officials from the FBI and Rockland County District Attorney’s Office were emails from St. Lawrence, Town Attorney Michael Klein and Finance Officer Nat Oberman.

Though the FBI made no arrests, the raid sent a strong signal that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has set its focus on more corruption investigations in Ramapo. The FBI in April arrested Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret on bribery-related charges in part of a broad corruption scandal that involved New York City politicians. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has made prosecuting corruption the cornerstone of his administration.

“They did not discuss the nature of their investigation at all,” Klein said. “They didn’t disclose who, if anyone, inside or outside of Town Hall was the focus of the investigation. We may never know, if nothing happens. We shall see.”

Cara Matthews is a member of The Journal News' Tax Team. She has worked as an Albany correspondent and she covered Putnam County government and politics. Before that, she worked at newspapers in Connecticut and covered the state Legislature for one of them.